Hidden Meanings
Book One of A Final Wish Series. Prologue "Don't be afraid, ever since I met you, I knew that you would be an amazing warrior, Patchspot," a tabby tom mewed, his twisted jaw hindering his speech. "B-but I don't feel like one," the black-and-white tom mewed, twitching his tail nervously back and forth. "You are one, and you will be an amazing leader, some cats doubted you, your mate even did, but from the moment that I allowed you to join RiverClan I knew I had made the right choice." The tom coughed, and Patchspot flinched, knowing the old tom was dying. "T-thank you Crookedstar, but I've caused so much hurt." Patchspot replied. "No," Crookedstar mewed with defiance, "Never say that, it wasn't your fault that Primrosepaw died." "B-but she was my apprentice." Yes, and, because Sedgecreek, my first apprentice isn't alive anymore, does that mean, it was my fault, no it doesn't, look at Scamperfoot, Mothpaw died when she was his apprentice, but he doesn't blame himself," Crookedstar mewed, his gaze bearing holes into Patchspot, "You trained Hawkfrost wonderfully, and I know you're doing the same with Swallowpaw, you will be an amazing leader, remember, I have faith in you." With his last statement, the old leader closed his eyes, and Patchspot watched as his ninth life slipped away from him. "I am Patchstar, and I will lead in Crookedstar's pawsteps." he mewed with defiance, his voice growing with strength, and courage in each syllable. Chapter One "Smudge, Smudge!" a bright ginger tom yelled into Smudge's ear. "Wha-" the black-and-white tom mewed, batting at the air, in an effort to get the ginger tom away. "Come on, you're going to miss everything, my owners gave me cream, and Henry and I are going to share it with you, but we won't if you don't come on," the flame-colored tom mewed. "Just go Rusty!" Smudge hissed, now thoroughly annoyed at Rusty, he had been having the best dream, before Rusty had come tromping through is yard to awaken him. He had been living with the wild cats that he'd heard so much about, he was their leader, and was respected, from the youngest to the oldest cat. He had heard about the Clan from some cats who had fought them to get back two of their members that had joined a Clan called ShadowClan, and they had said that the cats fought with ease and perfection, coordination each blow with each other. He wanted to become a member, so much, that he would do anything to be in the Clan. He stretched, and lept up onto his fence, letting the morning sun warm his fur. He turned his head to the forest, and sat, staring, into the trees, until he was sure that he had seen a glimpse of a cat. He decided to go investigate. Leaping down from his fence, he heard a voice call his name. "Yes?" he called, annoyed, not for the first time that morning. "Where are you going?" the tabby tom, Henry questioned, from where he perched next to Rusty on the fence. "Away," Smudge answered, starting to leave again. "Well that really explains it," Smudge heard Rusty growl sarcastically. Smudge ignored him, and kept going, deep into the forest. Chapter Two He emerged into a clearing and looked around, so far, he hadn't caught sight of one cat, and he was wondering if they were really real, or if it was a big hoax. As he was about to turn around, a silver-and-black tabby tom lept out of the bushes in front of him. "What do you think you're doing in ThunderClan territory?" he hissed, as a pale tabby tom and a very pale gray she-cat padded out behind him. "I-I was wondering about the Clans," Smudge stuttered, his eyes growing huge at the sight of the lean warriors. "Well you can wander away from our territory," the tom hissed, "Longpaw show him what we're made of." Smudge started to back away as he saw the hostile tom start crouching and tensing his muscles, ready to leap. "Go Longpaw, we don't have all day!" the other pale tabby tom hissed, "Unless you want Willowpelt or I to do it instead." "Darkstripe do we really have to do this?" the she-cat that Smudge realized was Willowpelt said to the tom. "Yes Willowpelt, unless you'd like to see kittypets all over our territory," the tom replied. "But it's just so savage," Willowpelt retorted, "You know that Bluestar wants us back in camp soon." As the she-cat was talking to Darkstripe, Smudge took the opportunity to back into the bushed and run, like he'd never run before. He started to wonder if his brilliant idea was actually brilliant. Chapter Three Smudge crashed through the underbrush, and, finally, after he emerged from a tall clump of bracken, he was out of the forest. He looked around him and saw nothing but moorland with a few Twoleg nests and the forest behind him and in the distance. He slowed to a trot and trekked through the moor, the fatigue catching up with him. As he crested a hill he saw a group of cats in the distance. He could make out brown, white, mottled, and tabby pelts and he crouched down, not wanting to be seen. Smudge dared to glance up again and say the patrol heading towards him! Chapter Four Coming soon Chapter Five Coming soon Chapter Six Coming soon Chapter Seven Coming soon Chapter Eight Coming soon Chapter Nine Coming soon Chapter Ten Coming soon